London Life Update!

November 5, 2017

It’s been a little bit since I’ve given a life update from London so without further ado here’s a little roundup of some of my highlights and how things have been going since the big move from California! I feel like I hit the ground running as soon as I got here with unforgettable trips to Madrid,Valencia,Ibiza, Ireland,Amsterdam, and Oktoberfest in Munich already under my belt. Since then I’ve been focusing a lot on living in the moment and soaking in every second of my time here. Some of my favorite areas in London have been South Kensington, Chelsea, Marylebone, Notting Hill and of course, Hyde Park, but one of my favorite things about living here is that there’s SO much to do and always a new area to explore! I just made a whirlwind trip back to California for my friend’s wedding and my 25th birthday, but now that I’m settled back in London, I’m truly loving it more than ever!

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My program at London College of Fashion started back in September and so far I’m absolutely loving it! Ella Alexander (Digital Editor of Harpers Bazaar UK) came and spoke with us about her path from Vogue to Harper’s and Hilary Alexander (BFA Journalist of the Year, Britain’s Next Top Model, Daily Telegraph) graced us with her presence with a very candid Q&A. There are only ten of us in the program which makes it feel like a little working family and although the workload is quite intense (I have a formal interview, feature piece, trend report, news story, and research project all in the works!) it’s giving me a lot of opportunity to hone in on and expand my skills, challenge myself past my usual boundaries, and grow as a journalist both through my blog and in the industry. As someone who really appreciates learning and has felt a bit understimulated in the past, it feels so rewarding to be in a fast paced environment taking note from some of the best of the best!

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My roommates and friends here have been a true gift from God! They’re some of the the sweetest people I’ve ever met— one of the main reasons London feels completely like home! In addition to loving our little Notting Hill area and adorable London flat, I’ve been trying to experience new parts of London as often as I can. Some usual favorites include Farmacy, Heartcore Pilates, and Farm Girl Cafe, and some highlights thus far have been day trips to Windsor Castle and Richmond Park, celebrating Bonfire Night with a little sticky toffee dessert in Primrose Hill, my long strolls all around London, and several cozy movie nights at home with the girls! I feel so so lucky to already have so many trips under my belt in just a few months, and am really looking forward to Paris, Budapest, and Austria coming up!

Overall, I’d say it took about 2 solid months to make London feel like my true home. I got really lucky with the people in my life and quickly plugged into a church group within my first weeks here. A MAJOR highlight of living here is definitely my weekly riding lessons in Hyde Park. I grew up riding horses in Texas and am so thankful for the opportunity to channel my love of riding with lessons at Ross Nye Stables.

Classes are all day Thursdays and Fridays which gives me a nice balance of time to focus on Erie Nick and my school work. As far as Erie Nick goes, I’m continuing to focus on what I love. Fashion will always be a key focus on the blog, but I’m excited to continue introducing more lifestyle and travel content in the mix as well! While there are certainly moments of eb and flow, the business end of things have been progressively picking up! I’m so thankful the move here brought on the opportunity to work with one of my favorite brands for an upcoming brand campaign video and my LCF marketing project has me SO excited to introduce a brand new component of Erie Nick coming in January 2018, so stay tuned!

All in all, I’m happy to say there have definitely been far more ups than downs since moving here! As unknown as this whole path has been, trusting my gut and just going for it has without a doubt been one of the best decisions I have ever made. I feel so genuinely happy to be here and love waking up (even on the coldest of days) with the view of bright white London flats out my bedroom window! It’s certainly a journey, but I’m so thankful to be exactly where I’m at! Now that I know I’m loving London, settled in, and feeling truly at home, my wheels have been turning and my plans have shifted to (hopefully!) stay here much longer than I originally planned!